Antony Worrall Thompson arrested for shoplifting cheese at Tesco

The 60-year-old, who has starred on hit shows including Food and Drink, I'm a Celebrity and Ready Steady Cook, was cautioned by police after being involved in five alleged incidents at the supermarket's Henley-on-Thames branch.

Tesco staff filmed Worrall Thompson using self-service checkout machines and the celebrity reportedly put some items into his bags without paying for them.

A source told The Sun: "He was ordering blocks of cheese at the deli counter, taking bottles of wine, then putting some things through the scanner but walking out with the rest.

"They caught him on camera doing it more than once, but had to be 100% sure it was not a genuine mistake before apprehending him. Because of his high profile, the security staff could not afford to get it wrong."

Thames Valley police said in a statement: "We arrested a man from High Wycombe following a report of shoplifting offences. The man has been issued with a formal caution for these offences."

Worrall Thompson's restaurant business is believed to have been damaged by the recession and he recently downsized properties from a £1.6 million mansion to a home in High Wycombe.